Disease factsheet about tetanus

Tetanus is an often fatal disease, which is present worldwide. It is a consequence of a toxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium tetani. The main reservoirs of the bacterium are herbivores, which harbour the bacteria in their bowels (with no consequences for them) and disseminate the “spore form” of the bacteria in the environment with their faeces.

Surveillance and disease data for tetanus

Prevention and control measures for tetanus

Immunisation is the only effective prevention of tetanus. Tetanus toxoid is an effective, safe, stable and inexpensive vaccine that can be given to all ages, to pregnant women and to immunocompromised individuals.

Disease data for tetanus from ECDC Surveillance Atlas

The Surveillance Atlas of Infectious Diseases is a tool that interacts with the latest available data about a number of infectious diseases. The interface allows users to interact and manipulate the data to produce a variety of tables and maps.

Annual Epidemiological Report on tetanus

ECDC’s annual epidemiological reports provide a wealth of epidemiological data to support decision-making at the national level. They are mainly intended for public health professionals and policymakers involved in disease prevention and control programmes.